Dr. H. K. Sachan

CAFF, Fiji National University

hirdesh.sachan@fnu.ac.fj

Information Needs for Climate Change

Adaptation among Farmers in Fiji

2016 Pacific Update Conference

18th -19th,July ,2016

Contents Introduction

Impacts of climate change

Problems for climate change adaptation

Information and Knowledge for Climate

Change Adaptation

Conclusion and recommendations

Agriculture is metaphorically referred to as the backbone of

Fiji. The sector, however, is not immune to obscurity and faces

many challenges.

Two of such challenges are the lack of agricultural

information being disseminated to needy farmers along

with traditional negative stereotype towards agriculture

and adapting to climate change.

Climate change poses a direct and growing

threat to the livelihoods of people in agriculture.

Poor rural households, whose livelihoods depend

predominantly on agriculture and natural resources,

will bear a disproportionate burden of adverse

impacts of climate change and thus should be the

focus of adaptation interventions.

The Pacific Islands are the most vulnerable to

climate change due to its geographical

remoteness and size.

(Satapathy et,al. 2011, Mendelsohn et al. 2007, Kates 2000)

Scientists have projected that by 2100 Pacific

Islands would experience:

sea-level rise by about 0.39 metres.

surface air-temperature to increase by 2.3°C.

rainfall could either rise or fall with predicted impacts

of 8.36% to 20.2%.

El- Nino conditions possibly more frequently

tropical cyclones becoming more intense

saline intrusion into freshwater lenses

increased flooding

Ref: FAO, Regional Training Workshop on Adaptation for the

Pacific Least Developed Countries,28 September – 3 October

2012, Funafuti, Tuvalu

Climate hazards will affect agriculture

through:

heat stress on plants,

changes in soil moisture and Temperature

loss of soil fertility through erosion of top soil,

less water available for crop production

changes in height of water table

salinization of freshwater aquifer, and loss of

land through sea level rise.

The uncertainty of availability of climate information at

a local scale (Dessai 2007)

Complexity of scientific information on climate change

Financial and infrastructural constraints (IPCC 2007)

Lack of tailoring the information to meet needs of

local stakeholders (Gauthier 2005, Srinivasan 2012)

Non integration of local institutions

Cultural practices and experience into actionable

adaptation decisions (Ensor and Berger 2009)

Failure to use media that is easily accessible to rural

communities (Carpenter et al. 2012)

Problems for climate change adaptation

Information and Knowledge needed for Climate

Change Adaptation

Climate knowledge is the appropriate use of climate

information for reducing economic and environmental

risks and strengthening resilience against climate

variability. (Glantz 2005)

To overcome challenge of adapting to the impacts of

climate change, researchers are identifying the

importance of climate change information and

knowledge systems which includes climate information

for adaptation like :

scientific meteorological and hydrological information

agro-ecological information

socio-economic information

(FAO 2007, Lebel 2011,Srinivasan 2011, Khan 2012)

Information on climate, warnings and forecasts

can help to prepare rural farmers for climate change

adaptation.

Communicate appropriate and relevant climate

change information to the farmers at the right time

as climate change communication may be

backbone of climate change adaptation and adaptive

planning.

Communication will not only create awareness but

can also provide information and prepare

communities thus inspiring behavioral change.

Information Knowledge Climate Change Adaptation

Climate information and prediction services enable

better management of climate variability and

change.

Better adaptation through the incorporation of

science-based practices into planning, policy and

practices on the global, regional and national scale.

Enables farmers to take decisions regarding their

choice of practices in order to avert or reduce risks

related to climate change and promote sustainable

production.(World Meteorological Organization

(2011)

Information Knowledge Climate Change Adaptation

Fig: 1.Demographic Characteristics farmers characteristics (Gender, Age, Educational level

and land types)

2%

31%29%

38%

10-20 years

20-30 years

30-40years

>40 years

Fig.2. Information required by farmers on weather parameters in

study area

Fig.3. Challenges Facing Farmers in accessing information in study

area

84%

16% Radio

Tv

Fig.4. Farmers find Radio and TV as the best source of information on

weather forecasting in accessing information in study area

Fig.5. Farmers find awareness programme useful for climate change

information in study area

Fig.6. Information on input availability for crop production in study

area

Farmers require information on climate parameters.

Warnings and forecasts can help to prepare farmers for

climate change adaptation.

The farmer needs information on production technology that

involves cultivating, fertilizing, pest control, weeding and

harvesting.

Government to scale up, especially use of radio and TV in

agricultural information system which can help the

researchers to disseminate and farmers to access

information. Efforts should be made to increase airtime for

agricultural programmes on radio and television; prevalent

media reaching most remote areas.

Use of mobile phones ,technology that can be harnessed for

great benefit to the farmers.

Conclusion and recommendation

Vinaka !!

Thank you for your attention!!